Ama-Slam Video Vision

Team One & Done

Video Vision: Our video is going to be similar to a promotion video, using live footage from the event. We want to promote the Ama-Slam by creating a feeling of nostalgia and using bandwagon effect. Through the use of videos and stills from the event, we will be able to convince people that this event is popular and worth attending in the future, and should not be missed.

Production roles:
Alex, Jaime, Kendell, and Melissa will all be responsible for attending the event(s) and collecting pictures and videos
Jared and Stu will make a video using iMovie

Question 4

Article 1: The Real Future of Clean Water

       http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/the-real-future-of-clean-water/?_r=1

“When an organization like Charity: Water takes off, as it has, with all the buzz and fanfare, it’s important to take a measured view. While it may be exciting to ponder how much money the tech mogul will give you when his company goes public, it’s more useful to ask: How will you avoid the project-sustainability problems that have plagued others over the past 40 years?”

This article highlights the issue of helping people obtain clean water and doing so in a sustainable manner. The article raises the question surrounding Charity: Water and its simplification of the issue at hand. The author of the article, David Bornstein, brings up the idea that Charity: Water is ultimately saying: “if enough people in the West were generous enough to pay for water projects in poor countries we could fix the problem”. Bornstein criticizes this approach because he feels that it’s not an appealing way to capture donors and participants. Bornstein also expresses concern that Charity: Water illustrates the solution to the problem overly simple; that all that needs to be done is establish water wells and purification systems and it’s all set. However, Bornstein highlights that social issues need to be considered while making these ameliorations to communities. Without implementing change based off of societal needs, then wells and purification systems won’t be of much help; there needs to be change on a larger, more sustainable level. Bornstein does give Charity: Water credit for raising public awareness of the clean water issue, however he primarily raises the question of how sustainable the structure of their program truly is.

Article 2:

Charity startup: Scott Harrison's mission to solve Africa's water problem

http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/12/features/charitystartup

The origins of Charity: Water is dissected in this article. The author, David Baker depicts the life of the founder and president of Charity: Water, Scott Harrison, from his earlier stages of life and how his idea for the organization was created. Harrison started off as a club promoter, spending his days trying to sell people $500 bottles of champagne while partying alongside them. However, through Harrison’s travels and a book given to him by his father he suddenly transformed his life, wanting to devote himself to helping others. Although the company is fairly new it does not lack funding or volume. One of the unique aspects of the organization, as described in the article, is that Charity: Water is very transparent with its donors. Essentially everyone who donates can see where their money is going; for example images and GPS markers of the wells are available. The article describes how the charity bases itself off of trust and honesty: “ ‘He is honest about things that have gone wrong or mistakes that have been made’ ” (Neil Hutchinson).  Not only is the organization providing clean water but it also encourages business opportunities within communities. The article highlights the organization in a positive way and sheds light on this multi-faceted philanthropy.

Article 3

How Charity: Water Won Over The Tech World

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2013/12/19/how-charity-water-won-over-the-tech-world/

Charity: Water is not only making strides with its mission to supply clean water to people across the world but also the use of technology within their organization. “…you know exactly what the project cost ($10,408.08), who built it (The International Rescue Committee) plus you can see photos of the well, and the precise location via GPS”. This elucidates how much the company prides itself on the transparency of its projects. The article also highlights that through large-scale donors it enables the company to use 100% of its donations towards the project: “Harrison’s funding model is another plus for efficiency-obsessed techies: Big donors (known as The Well) fund the operations (salaries, supplies, rent.) This allows for 100% of donations that are raised via the charity’s slick online and social media campaigns to go directly to water projects”.  Through the description of the start up of the organization and its continued success this article gives positive insight into Charity: Water.

Question 5: Media Analysis: Which media platforms seemed MOST and LEAST effective in helping your SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN achieve its stated goals?

5. Media Analysis: Which media platforms seemed MOST and LEAST effective in helping your SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN achieve its stated goals? Be specific and analytical in your response.

http://www.dragonflyeffect.com/blog/dragonfly-in-action/case-studies/charitywater/

Charity: Water has established a strong presence on social media by launching several successful campaigns to promote and raise money for their cause. The founder of Charity: Water started the organization on his 31^st birthday and generated $15,000 through donations from friends, which helped Charity: Water build wells in Uganda. Another campaign that Charity: Water launched was the Twitter Festival, or “Twestival” which raised nearly $1 million dollars for the organization. Charity: Water has used Twitter as an effective tool to reach their audience through power and emotional stories and conversations, which illustrate the goals and accomplishments of the organization.

Charity: Water uses Twitter, Youtube, and other social media platforms to share their videography, photography, and graphics that help tell the organizations story and plans. Charity: Water has a dedicated staff that constantly updates Twitter and Facebook with videos, including one video project that was produced by the director of Hotel Rwanda. This 60-second video follows a woman carrying a gasoline jug full of dirty water, which she brings home and serves it to her children. The ad was extremely powerful and reached millions of viewers. From their aesthetic website and marketing programs, to their strong social media presence, Charity: Water is conducting one of the most successful social marketing campaigns in recent history. Charity: Water has done a great job at using all social media platforms to promote their message, but I think we could see them use Snapchat to reach their audience in the near future. For now, if appears that Charity: Water will continue to rely heavily on promoting their campaign via Twitter and Youtube.

Question 3. Evaluation: How successful was your SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN in meeting its goals? Changing behavior?

 3. Evaluation: How successful was your SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN in meeting its goals? Changing behavior?

http://www.charitywater.org/projects/completed-projects/
http://whitefusemedia.com/blog/5-lessons-marketing-charitywater
On the Charity: Water website, there is a specific page dedicated to completed projects. The page shows a map of the globe with circles around countries/cities where projects have been completed. If you click on the circle, it takes you to a description of the project and its success. Across the globe there are hundreds of descriptions of successful projects Charity: Water has completed. One project, for example, was based in Yalgatenga (Tampouy), Burkina Faso. Charity: Water rehabilitated a drilled well and gave over 900 people access to sanitary drinking water. The social marketing campaign has been successful at meeting its goal of providing sanitary drinking water to those in need. 

Charity: Water's social marketing campaign has also been successful at changing the public's behavior. This organization has gone past just asking for donations to fund their projects. They give you the opportunity to start your own campaign and track your own results to see the real-world impact you make. Giving the public this hands on experience with planning their own campaigns personalizes the process and encourages participation. In turn, what otherwise would be apathetic behaviors and attitudes are changed to inspired and motivated. They are making Charity: Water a community that people want to be involved in. 

Question 6: What specific suggestions do you have for this SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN moving forward?

6. Suggestions: What specific suggestions do you have for this SOCIAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN moving forward?

Charity:Water's social marketing advertisements are extremely effective and really draw on the heartstrings of the targeted audience.  Mainly they target people similar to us who have disposable income and live in first world countries.  The campaign itself uses both guilt and rationale as tactics that add impact to their messages.  One suggestion in this area is to use different tactics such as providing physical incentives for people who donate money.  For example, if a person donates over $40 to Charity:Water, they receive a t-shirt or accessory with the Charity:Water logo on it.  This would not only provide an incentive to donate a large sum of money, but also increase brand awareness when these donors proudly wear this shirt/accessory.

Another way to improve their social marketing campaign would be to not only operate on a global level, but a local level as well.  Globally, Charity:Water is very accomplished and has established itself as well-identifiable brand.  This is effective in spreading the awareness of their efforts and by partnering with brands such as McDonald's, global initiatives to get involved have only improved.  However, one suggestion here would be to also participate in local communities around first-world countries For example, if they sponsored an event in Burlington it would put Charity:Water in the category of not only being a global brand, but a personable, local company as well.  This would increase participation within local communities and create a buzz.

Names of Members and Research Questions

1. Jaime

2. Jaime

3. Kendell

4. Alex

5. Stu

6. Jared

Nine lessons to learn from charity; water